2013 Chevrolet Sonic RS drive review: Think of it as a warm hatch

September 27, 2012

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What is it?

In Germany, when Audi and Porsche append the letters “RS” to a vehicle's appelation, it means face-rending, raw ultimate performance. See RS4, RS5, GT2 RS, GT3 RS. In German, it stands for “Rennsport,” which means “racing” auf Deutsch and happens to conveniently be immense fun to bellow when hammering through a corner at 11/10ths.

Here on our shores, it stands for "Rally Sport." Chevrolet's long used it to denote a sporty appearance package that dates back to the first-gen Camaro, when it most notably got you hidden headlights. Hence, one could purchase an RS/SS '69 model, a four-letter non-word that was conveniently shorter to type than “wholly badical.”

Those hoping for a wholly badical Chevrolet Sonic will have to wait, as the hatchback-only RS merely massages the turbocharged model's strengths, rather than seriously tweaking them to create a GTI/Cooper S/Abarth fighter.

What's it like to drive?

As GM's first credible B-segment car in like, um, ever, we really like the Sonic. The belligerent-moppet styling gets a bit of a goosing when one ticks the RS box, the manual transmission sees revised ratios and a shorter final-drive ratio, while automatic-equipped cars make do with just the axle-ratio change. Spring rates are nudged toward the sportier side and ride height drops 0.39 inch. Having last driven a turbo manual Sonic LT a year ago, your author was hard-pressed to notice any dramatic difference in the acceleration or handling.

One still has to keep one's boot in it to wind the turbo motor into its powerband; despite the presence of the turbine, the 1.4 really doesn't have much to offer down low. Keep the revs up, however, and it's a responsive little bugger. Chevy's also seen fit to add disc brakes to the rear of the RS; springing for the package is the only way to get them.

General Motors has been masterful across the board in terms of ride quality as of late, and the Sonic's no exception in that department. Handling's sharp, but not particularly sporty. It's a great city car, a fine alternative to Nissan's Versa hatch if one seeks a subcompact with a skoch more room, though the Honda Fit remains the mini-potentate of the efficient-packaging realm.

The Sonic and the Accent remain the muscle cars of the segment, each offering 138 hp, though the Hyundai is naturally aspirated.

The real party piece, as far as the Sonic's concerned, and what makes the near-21k entry price palatable, is the interior. The base car feels a bit plasticky and downmarket compared to, say, the Ford Fiesta. RS owners need suffer no such inferiority complex. The RS retains the Sonic's novel “motorcycle-inspired” analog-tach/digital speedo pod and (like the LTZ) adds Chevy's MyLink infotainment system as a standard item.

The red-trimmed floor mats pair nicely with the contrast-stitched leather/fauxcantara seats. The flat-bottom wheel makes the rockin' hatch turn 'round. In short, the sporty interior makes one expect a bit more punch from the powertrain than there actually is.

The clutch is light, but not numb. The manual's shift action is positive, if a tad rubbery, and the 1.4 is a mite buzzy and bland-sounding, lacking the giddy boy-racer snarl of the Fiat 500 Abarth's similarly-sized turbo four. Then again, the Fiat also produces 22 more ponies. That's not a huge differential when we're discussing 500 hp rocket sleds, but in the cheap-and-cheerful set, the bonus army of horses puts the stripy Italian in a different class.

Do I want it?

If you liked the Sonic before but were let down by the interior, the RS might just be the Vitamin C to cure your lack-of-hatch scurvy. It's not a true sportbox; one's better served considering it as the top-of-the-line variant of the turbo Sonic. In fact, the RS proves to be a better deal than loading up an LTZ with options. Plus, with the LTZ, you're stuck with the rear drums.

Will there be a Sonic SS? We imagine that depends on whether Ford decides to bring the 177-hp Fiesta ST to our shores.